Semiconductor transistors, in particular field effect-controlled semiconductor transistors such as n-metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are used for a variety of applications, including in particular as switches in power supplies and power converters, electric automobiles, air-conditioning systems and also stereo systems.
In the case of field effect transistors, a voltage with respect to the source has to be applied to the gate in order to keep the transistor in the switched-on state. In the case of application in a bridge circuit (H-bridge or half-bridge), in the case of the upper (high-side) transistor here said voltage has to be generated separately, for example, by means of a charge pump (bootstrap) and drive electronics, or by means of a galvanically isolated dedicated power supply for the driving. The drive signal is typically coupled into the drive electronics for the upper gate circuit via components having high dielectric strength, such as optocouplers, for example. Such solutions have the disadvantage that they require a multiplicity of additional components for implementation, which constitutes a disadvantage from many different standpoints, in particular with regard to costs and durability and also the higher susceptibility to faults and failure exhibited by these solutions.
Therefore, there is a need for improved field effect semiconductor components and improved production methods for field effect semiconductor components.